"I just wanted to give everything and not have any regrets afterwards": Demi Vollering emotional after claiming her third Liège-Bastogne-Liège victory

Demi Vollering has firmly established herself as the undisputed queen of women's cycling after an impressive solo victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The reigning European Champion executed a daring long-range attack on the Côte de la Redoute to secure her third career win in the monument. Visibly emotional after crossing the finish line, the Dutch star reflected on her deep personal connection to the course, the dedicated work of her teammates, and her growing confidence ahead of the upcoming Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.

For Vollering, Liège-Bastogne-Liège represents much more than just another race on the calendar. After the finish, the emotional winner explained just how far back her history with the Ardennes climbs goes, dating back to a time before female professionals even had the opportunity to compete in the event.

"This is truly unbelievable. I really wanted to win here again," Vollering said in a post-race interview. "I love this race. I also cherish so many beautiful memories. I already rode over the course in my period as a club rider, when there was no women's race at all."

Watching the men race the monument inspired a young Vollering, and seeing the sport evolve to include a women's edition makes her current dominance even more special to her. "I dreamed then of participating one day. I became a pro at a given moment and then there was also a women's version. And look now, I win here for a third time already."

The decisive moment of the race came on the steep slopes of the Côte de la Redoute. While some riders wait for the final kilometers to make their move, Vollering opted to launch a devastating attack from distance, a tactic she later confirmed was entirely premeditated.

"Yes, the idea was to ride away on the Redoute," she explained. "I just wanted to give everything and not have any regrets afterwards. In the ideal scenario I could have counted on a teammate after that, but it didn't turn out that way. It was indeed still far, but I turned out to be strong enough to finish it off."

While Vollering finished the race alone, she was quick to acknowledge the vital role her team played in setting up the victory, praising the immense effort put in by the rest of the squad to position her perfectly for her winning move.

"We know each other very well by now. We know each other's strengths and align our race plan to that," Vollering noted, highlighting the tactical discipline of her teammates. "I am very proud of the girls. They are not afraid to throw themselves completely to be able to win here."

With an incredible four spring classic victories now under her belt this season, Vollering is in prime position as the calendar transitions towards the major stage races. While she is the clear favorite for the upcoming Giro d'Italia and Tour de France Femmes, she remains cautious about looking too far ahead.

"This certainly gives a lot of confidence for the Tour, but that is still a long way off. You also have to stay fit and healthy. Just look at last year," she concluded. "We already have this in the bag. Now I am mainly going to enjoy it for a bit."